Consultation On Greater Protection For More UK Beaches

21 March 2017

Image credit: Greg Dennis

Surfers Against Sewage (SAS) welcomes Defra’s consultations on designating eight new bathing waters in Cornwall and one in Bournemouth. Designated bathing water’s benefit from weekly water quality testing and tighter environmental regulations. Surfers Against Sewage are strongly encouraging supporters to participate in these consultations before the 12th April deadline.

Surfers Against Sewage have repeatedly highlighted the need for new bathing waters at Godrevy, Fistral and the Towans to ensure the public are provided with appropriate water quality information and the coast benefits from stronger environmental regulations restricting sewage discharges and diffuse pollution.

Surfers Against Sewage is calling on communities around these bathing water sites to take part in the consultation.

Step 2: Select the beach(es) that are important to you. (You can respond to multiple beaches)

Step 3: List how busy these beaches are with people using the sea (especially swimming and bathing) and why the community would benefit from knowing what the water quality is likely to be. Use your own words and add as much, or as little detail as you need to.

Designated bathing waters are tested weekly throughout the bathing season (May – September). The results provide the public, regulators and interested stakeholders with a useful guide to how clean and safe they are, whilst importantly identifying any areas that need improvements.

As part of the continued campaign for the best possible water quality protection and information, Surfers Against Sewage also provides sophisticated real-time water quality alerts through the Safer Seas Service to safeguard water users from reductions in water quality between the weekly water quality tests. Rainfall can result in fluctuations in water quality from sewer overflows discharges and diffuse pollution from farm and urban environments.

SAS would always recommend that people visit bathing waters that are classified as ‘Excellent’ and benefit from Safer Seas Service coverage, to have the best chances of good water quality. This truly is the most comprehensive coastal public health coverage in the world.